


3H is better when its full of lesbians

by ShadowsOfBirds



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-28
Updated: 2020-01-20
Packaged: 2021-02-25 05:48:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 11,580
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21970918
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShadowsOfBirds/pseuds/ShadowsOfBirds
Summary: Marianne's just transferred to Byleth's class alongside Hilda and Lysithea. With a new professor, the house leader's terrifying retainer and the butterflies she gets looking at Hilda, Marianne is in way over her head.
Relationships: Dorothea Arnault/Petra Macneary, Edelgard von Hresvelg/My Unit | Byleth, Marianne von Edmund/Hilda Valentine Goneril
Comments: 17
Kudos: 196





	1. I'd Rather Stay In My Room

**Author's Note:**

> I don't have a real title for this yet because I'm not even sure where I'm going with it. I just know I ship both Edelgard/f!Byleth and Marianne/Hilda so hard that if I don't write about them I will actually explode. Also, Lysithea is my child and I love her.
> 
> The chapters will be short as I tend to write in scenes. I could write up several and post them together, but my brain is far too unpredictable and scattered for that level of organization/patience.

Marianne shifted uncomfortably in her chair as she reread the same text for the third time. She was studying, or trying to, in preparation for her upcoming certification exam. She didn’t want to fail the first exam she would be taking under the new professor’s guidance; after all, the professor had been kind enough to seek Marianne out and offer her a spot in her class, and Marianne couldn’t bear the thought of the professor knowing how much of a mistake that was. It was difficult to focus on studying while visions of disappointed friends and teachers bounced within the confines of Marianne’s mind. Professor Byleth would realize how futile it is to invest in Marianne eventually, just as the others had before her, but the farther off she could put that uncomfortable situation the better. A soft knock shook Marianne out of her thoughts, and she quickly rose to catch the door as it opened.

“My apologies, I didn’t know if you were awake yet,” offered Lysithea politely. “I wanted to make sure we weren’t late on our first day.” Curious, she peered around the door to see Marianne had not yet changed into her uniform. “You should hurry, it’s almost time to go.”

“Oh, I didn’t…” She trailed off, unsure of how to respond. Glancing at her clock, Marianne could see that class was set to start in 15 minutes. She hadn’t realized how much time she had lost while distracted, and it crossed her mind that it would be simpler to not go than to show up unprepared, underdressed, or tardy. Lysithea would be late as well because of her, how could she be responsible for that? She would be less of a disruption if she were absent. Before she could settle on an excuse, a familiar voice playfully sang out towards them, redirecting Lysithea’s attention elsewhere.

“Lysitheaaa!”

“Good morning Hilda.”

Hilda approached with a subtle skip in her step, surprisingly energetic for so early in the morning. She gave Lysithea a quick hug, then turned to find that Marianne had all but shut her door. A small crack remained, with a shadow underneath revealing that Marianne had not yet fully retreated. Lysithea frowned, a breath of frustration escaping as she placed a hand on her hip. Amused, Hilda then knocked on Marianne’s door.

“My lovely Marianne, I have a better idea than going to class,” Hilda held back a grin, entertained by how easily she knew she could manipulate the situation. “How about you and I go shopping instead? I can pick out _so_ many cute dresses for you and you just _have_ to try them on, one by one. That way I can see them on you! I bet you look great in pink! Or perhaps a nice white dress with a pink pattern!”

“I-I…” Marianne’s voice was quiet, but Hilda knew she was listening, so she continued.

“We can get our nails done, and I can find you some cute new clips for that pretty hair of yours,” She added, examining her nails as she invented more ways in which she could mortify Marianne into attending class. Hilda would genuinely prefer to go shopping, but she had been caught skipping recently and shuddered to think of facing Seteth’s calm, disapproving stare again. If she had to go to class, she at least wanted Marianne to be there beside her. “Doesn’t that sound like so much fun?!”

“I… I’d rather go to class…” Marianne’s small voice barely carried through the door, just loud enough for Hilda and Lysithea to hear. Surprise flashed behind Lysithea’s analytical eyes. She was talented in many ways, but manipulating others was Hilda’s talent, not hers. Hilda held one hand up towards Lysithea in a preemptive effort to maintain the younger girl’s silence.

“Aw, well if that’s what you want!” Hilda feigned disappointment, winking at Lysithea as she addressed their blue-haired friend. “I don’t want to go all by myself, so I’ll just wait here for you to come with me!”

On the other side of the door, Marianne sighed, knowing she had to leave her room one way or another. Thoughts of Hilda breezing throughout the clothing shops, her twin pigtails and skirt floating along with her, brought a blush to Marianne’s cheeks. Needing to occupy her hands and mind with anything other than thoughts of Hilda, Marianne left her position guarding the door to change into her uniform. She hastily put up her hair, a few loose strands of blue left behind. Giving her reflection a quick look, her attention locked on the evidence of exhaustion below her eyes, and a knot formed in her stomach. _How can you go out looking like this?_ The unspoken question lingered in the air just long enough for Marianne’s discomfort to peak, and she squeezed her eyes shut, breathing in sharply. _They’re waiting. You don’t have a choice. They’re waiting and you don’t want them to be angry with you._ Her thoughts repeated once or twice before she reached for the door, emerging from her room to find Lysithea and Hilda, who still bore a smile, awaiting her.

“There you are, cutie. Time to go!” Hilda reached for Marianne’s arm, gently prompting her to follow. _Cutie?_ Blinked Marianne. _How boorish I must look that she is going to the trouble of contesting it._ Marianne shut her door and obediently followed behind Hilda and Lysithea, who had begun chatting amongst themselves as they headed towards the Black Eagles’ classroom.

Marianne’s gaze had reflexively settled on the ground directly in front of her, until a whiff of Hilda’s perfume pulled her attention upwards. Marianne shyly observed how Hilda had so delicately composed herself this morning. Her hair had been brushed out, tied up into pigtails, and there wasn’t a stray hair to be found. Her fairly short dress accentuated her curves, with a loose blouse underneath covering just enough to remain school-appropriate. As she walked, the hem of her dress flirted with the top of her stockings, teasing onlookers with the sight of the skin in-between. An abrupt laugh out of Hilda snapped Marianne back to attention, and the awareness that she had been staring overtook her. She quickly averted her eyes, unable to shake the fear that if the color in her cheeks were noticed, her thoughts would be as well.

“… Marianne?”

At the sound of her name Marianne’s anxiousness swelled, and she wished she could fly back to her room and lock the door. Instead, she forced herself to make eye contact with Lysithea, whose expectant expression suggested she had asked Marianne a question.

“I’m sorry,” the apology came instinctively, and at Lysithea’s puzzled reaction Marianne realized her reply had not been contextually correct. “W-what did you ask me?” She added, a bit more hushed than before.

“I asked if you were taking your certification exam today as well?”

“N-no… are you?” Marianne already knew the answer would be yes. Lysithea is such a talented mage. _She probably didn’t need to study_ , thought Marianne. _I can’t compete with her. Professor Byleth must know this already. I’m not ready._

They began walking up the stairs to the classrooms, and with each step, Marianne’s thoughts echoed.

 _I’m not ready._ Step. _I’m not ready._ Step. _I’m not ready._ Step.

If Lysithea answered Marianne’s question, she was no longer paying enough attention to hear it. Marianne’s thoughts had swallowed what little focus had remained.

_Or perhaps she doesn’t want me to take it but doesn’t know how to tell me. She probably noticed I can’t do it. I should have stayed in my room, that is what Byleth would want. Let Lysithea take the exams, and I will stay out of the way, alone in my room._

Pressure on her hand brought to Marianne’s attention that Hilda had interlocked their fingers and was squeezing gently, searching her eyes for a reaction. Hilda knew the touch would reign her worried friend’s thoughts back in, and she gave her a soft smile as they made eye contact, as if to remind her that Hilda had asked her to come, not because of exams or the professor, but because Hilda herself wanted Marianne to be there. Marianne broke the eye contact as she blushed yet again, only this time, the smallest of smiles emerged on her face. She would be okay as long as Hilda is with her.


	2. Welcome to the Black Eagles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's the girls' first class with Byleth!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Black Eagles consists of all the original characters, with these three being the first transfers. Byleth had already become established as a professor by this point.

The girls reached the Black Eagles classroom after the majority of the class had already arrived. Out of the corner of her eye, Marianne surveyed her new class; on the far side of the room sat a petite, purple haired girl Marianne had only seen a couple of times. She held her knees to her chest and fidgeted with an arrow, avoiding interacting with the other students. Hilda leaned towards Marianne so that she could speak without being overheard, and provided the answer to the question Marianne had only voiced in her head.

“That’s Bernadetta,” she whispered. “I can’t remember the last time I saw her outside of her room.”

Hilda’s attentiveness brought Marianne’s self-consciousness forward, and she reflexively did an assessment of the moments leading up to when Hilda would have been looking at her. Determining that she had not done anything to be overly concerned with, her attention fell back onto Bernadetta, prompted by the curiosity as to why this girl looked so uncomfortable. _I wonder if that’s how I look to other people,_ she mused. Nearest to Bernadetta lay Linhardt, whom Marianne recognized as the boy frequently asleep in the library, and whom she could not definitively say _wasn’t_ asleep now.

A musical laugh drew Marianne’s attention to the opposite row, where the songstress Dorothea was enthusiastically engaged in conversation. What they were discussing was out of earshot for Marianne, although she noted that Ferdinand, the only one amongst that group who was still standing, appeared to have taken offense to what had been said. In contrast, Dorothea and Caspar were noticeably amused. Sitting on the table positioned behind Dorothea, Petra looked as if she had not been following the conversation to begin with, focusing instead on the braid she had woven into Dorothea’s hair.

Preferring a less boisterous environment, Lysithea gravitated towards Bernadetta and Linhardt, taking a seat in the row behind theirs. Marianne followed, grateful to have avoided the scene unfolding on the other side of the room, and stepped just past Lysithea so she would have her back to the wall and a full view of the room. More importantly, she could watch everyone in it, while remaining as far out of their sight as possible. Trying not to be too obvious, Marianne watched as Hilda hesitated, her brows furrowing in observation that Marianne was now closed off opposite Lysithea. Ultimately deciding it would be too much effort to convince the girls they wanted to rearrange themselves, Hilda settled for Lysithea’s other side. With a few minutes to spare prior to class, Hilda periodically glanced in the direction of the songstress, listening so she could discern how to best manipulate the Black Eagle boys, while Lysithea brought her tome out of her bag and resumed reading from a page she had previously marked. Marianne sat with her hands in her lap, her eyes following the pattern of the wood table in front of her, and waited for class to begin.

The sound of footsteps from the entryway signaled to Marianne the arrival of Professor Byleth and the Adrestian princess, Edelgard. The two walked close enough for their arms to gently brush up against each other, which was not missed by Edelgard’s retainer, Hubert, as he intently stared at the women in front of him. Displeasure was evident in Hubert’s face, yet the princess’ violet eyes were firmly fixated on the professor, entirely oblivious to the scowl behind her. Marianne recognized the devotion in Edelgard’s expression and was reminded of her own attachment to Hilda, a comparison that both frightened and excited her; she buried her face in the sleeve of her uniform, resigned to her fate of silently pining for a girl who could do much, much better than herself. However, with Hilda so prominently on her mind, she was unable to resist the temptation and peeked from over her sleeve in her friend’s direction. Hilda appeared relaxed, if not a little bored. She twisted a strand of her hair between her fingers and Marianne exhaled, a slight pain in her chest, as Hilda’s face scrunched into a yawn. _She’s so lovely,_ Marianne thought. _Perhaps if I am quiet and remain as unobtrusive as possible, I can continue to sit near and admire her without her noticing._

“Oh!” Lysithea exclaimed, startling Marianne. Hilda turned towards Lysithea, eyebrows raised. “I brought us cakes,” she continued, as she began searching through her bag. “This one’s for you, Hilda.”

Marianne giggled as Lysithea fervently dug through her bag, her enthusiasm for sweet cakes plain as day to her friends. Out came a small box with “Hilda” written on it, closely followed by another that bore Marianne’s name, and finally a third box, sans label, that Marianne assumed was Lysithea’s. Hilda popped open her box to find a pink frosted sugar cake, and used her finger to sample the frosting. As she licked her finger clean, she noticed Marianne had yet to open her own box.

“Mari, you have your own cake, no need to eyeball mine.” She teased, nodding towards Marianne’s untouched box. Lysithea looked up, mouth full of cake, and mumbled something along the lines of, “I’ll eat yours too if you don’t want it,” and Marianne blushed as both girls waited for her response.

“O-oh, I’m sorry. I do want it,” she confirmed. “Thank you.” Lysithea shrugged, her attention back on her own cake. Marianne averted her eyes, hoping Hilda wasn’t still watching as she ate, a few tiny pieces of cake at a time.

Marianne felt a chill raise the hairs on the back of her neck and nervously glanced behind her to see Hubert had taken a seat in the row behind hers, albeit closer to the center of the aisle and to the left of Edelgard. The princess was no longer engaged with Byleth, but instead appeared to be evaluating Lysithea; Marianne noted how Edelgard’s expression had become far more serious, with a pensive look to her that Marianne found a bit unsettling. _Hubert looks so frightening,_ she lamented. _And why is Edelgard so focused on Lysithea? I shouldn’t be here. I should have stayed in my room._

As the professor’s lecture began, Marianne’s nervousness faded. The room’s universal focus on Byleth gave Marianne a calming sense of being overlooked, and she took solace in knowing that for now, she wasn’t bothering anyone. Lysithea was studiously listening to the lecture, taking note of questions she meant to ask Byleth later, while Hilda lazily kept her head up by resting her elbow on the table, and her palm against her cheek. Surprisingly, Linhardt was no longer asleep, and the rambunctious group on the opposite side of the room had all settled into their seats, respectfully listening as Byleth spoke. _The professor took control of the room without even trying,_ Marianne observed, a touch of sadness gripping her. _She’s clearly valuable to the group_. _Someone who commands that much respect would find more use in teaching the students with potential, like Lysithea._ Marianne silently determined that she would approach Byleth after the lecture had ended to offer she switch back to her former class. _I am only taking up space from a student who deserves it more. I’ll tell her she doesn’t need to keep me. I won’t be upset if she prefers I leave._ She would miss Hilda and Lysithea, but she had never been a selfish person; if anything, she would be doing them a service in removing herself as a distraction.

“… don’t forget,” Byleth spoke with a finality that Marianne knew meant the lecture was coming to a close. “Those of you who will be taking certification exams today must return to this classroom in an hour. Grab a snack, take another moment to study, and I will see you back in a bit.” She closed her textbook and the students rose, conversations resuming as they collected their things.

More than ready to excuse herself from class, Hilda gleefully threw her bag over her shoulder and looked at Marianne expectantly.

“Oh, um…” Marianne remained seated, unable to verbalize her intention to change classes for fear of upsetting Hilda. Her internal turmoil spinning rather unproductively, Marianne was grateful when Lysithea rose from her seat between them.

“I’m going to ask professor Byleth a few more questions before the exam,” announced Lysithea, tapping her notebook as if the others could see what was on it. She squeezed out beside Hilda and made her way towards the professor, leaving Marianne and Hilda together.

“I need t-to talk to the professor too,” said Marianne, avoiding eye contact. Hilda sighed, shoulders dropping slightly, and stepped out of her way.

“Don’t expect me to wait around all day, kay?”

Marianne watched Hilda’s pigtails sway as she walked out of the classroom, momentarily forgetting what it was she meant to do. She felt a tap on her shoulder and turned to see Lysithea had returned to her, still carrying her notebook. _Byleth must be busy,_ she thought.

“Where’s Hilda?” Lysithea asked as she set her bag down and her notebook inside it.

“Um… I think she’s outside.”

“Waiting for us?” Zipping her bag back up, Lysithea leaned towards the door, silently suggesting they not leave Hilda waiting.

 _Oh no. What do I say?_ Marianne stood slowly, not yet sure if she intended on accompanying Lysithea, talking to the professor, or abandoning both interactions and opting instead to disappear into the recesses of her room. _Is it rude if I tell her I’m not going? I don’t want her to fuss over me...!_

“I…”

“You… what, Marianne?” Impatience crept into Lysithea’s voice. Her eyes narrowed slightly, and she ceased movement to focus on dismantling Marianne’s guard before she could fully enact it. Lysithea’s sharp, challenging expression ultimately made Marianne’s decision for her.

_I… The professor can wait a day. I’ll tell her tomorrow._

“N-nothing,” the stutter came quickly, accompanied by an obedient nod. Habit dictated that she face the floor rather than her intended audience, Lysithea; unaffected by Marianne’s discomfort, the surprisingly headstrong girl led them both out of the classroom, greeted by the delight of their twin-tailed friend waiting outside.


	3. Enter Dorothea, Sapphic Queen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I feel like Dorothea would flirt with more than just Byleth. In my imagination she is a female Sylvain, only less gross. Go Sapphic queen, go!

“Marianne, right?” Dorothea asked, catching a distracted Marianne entirely off guard. She had been daydreaming about her last riding class while waiting for Lysithea and Hilda to return with their lunch. Marianne was unsure if Professor Byleth intended on allowing her to continue those classes, and up to this point had been afraid to ask, settling for internal turmoil instead. While she was grateful for an interruption, her stomach churned when she realized the interrupters were not her friends as she expected.

“Oh! I’m so sorry!” Marianne’s blurted out apology was returned with a sympathetic smile from the songstress. Marianne awkwardly smiled back, feeling as if she could suffocate from the discomfort of Dorothea’s eyes on her.

Petra had tagged along with Dorothea, although she appeared more interested in examining the room than she did Marianne. She was quiet, but Marianne could see vigilance in those pale brown eyes. Marianne felt safer in her presence, although she could not determine why.

“No need to apologize, I just came to say hello!”

After a momentary pause, a slight tinge of pink rose in Dorothea’s cheeks that Marianne did not fail to miss. She thought about speaking, but had not yet forgiven herself for her earlier outburst and did not want to exacerbate that with another improper response.

“Actually… I was hoping for you to join us. It’s always nice to see another pretty face around. Not that Petra and I don’t have it covered,” she said as she winked at Petra. “But I would never object to the addition of another.”

Blushing, Marianne opened her mouth to respond but found that no words came out. She understood the implications of the songstress’ compliment, but her psyche objected so strongly that it froze her entirely.

“Yes! We would be wishing… Um…” Petra’s brow furrowed as if she could not connect two pieces of a puzzle. She looked at Dorothea and despite the confused expression she bore, Marianne could still see the trust and devotion the Brigid princess had for her charming classmate poking through. Dorothea threw an arm around Petra and gave her a gentle squeeze.

“She means to say she would also like for you to join us, miss… it _is_ Marianne, right?”

“Y-yes…” Marianne said. Petra nodded in affirmation, and the three were quiet another moment while Dorothea awaited Marianne’s decision on the invitation.

“Does she not have understanding?” Petra asked.

Marianne felt her cheeks flush. _I DO understand,_ Marianne thought to herself. _I just don’t know what to say…_

“I’m sorry, I d- Hilda!” Marianne’s face lit up at the sight of her friend returning. _Thank Goddess!_ She slid over, encouraging Hilda to sit beside her, a small part of her hoping Hilda would take over the conversation so she could fall silent, far more comfortable in listening as the others conversed.

Dorothea gave Hilda a subtle once-over. She may be fondest of Petra, but she could appreciate beautiful women anywhere, and Hilda’s pastel pink hair coupled with her uniform selectively chosen to accentuate her figure made her rather memorable. Marianne reached for Hilda’s arm as she took her place beside her, expressing her need for Hilda’s rescuing with a light pressure through her fingertips. Hilda placed her opposite hand over Marianne’s, a silent promise that she wouldn’t leave her, and Marianne rested her head on Hilda’s shoulder, doing her best to release the tension she had built up.

Not far behind, Lysithea soon rejoined the group as well.

Addressing Dorothea, Hilda placed a palm on her chest and introduced herself. “I’m Hilda,” she stated before pointing a manicured finger at Marianne. “This is Mari.”

“M-Marianne…”

“Although it seems I’m the only one who can call her that.” Hilda said with a grin. “And that is-“

“Lysithea von Ordelia.” Lysithea stated with an air that implied she wanted her name remembered.

“You have my welcome!” Petra replied, inciting a chuckle out of Dorothea.

“Welcome to the Black Eagles, ladies.” Dorothea motioned towards Marianne and Hilda before continuing. “If either of you want a more… personalized tour, you know where to find me.”

Dorothea ignored Lysithea’s scowl as she spun on her heel and left, Petra in tow.

“Wow,” Hilda huffed. “She’s bold.”

Marianne cautiously examined Hilda’s face, searching for clues as to how Hilda received Dorothea’s invitation. _Am I going to lose Hilda to that girl?_

Hilda was watching Dorothea as she sauntered back to her original table. Marianne’s thoughts continued to race.

_She’s so beautiful, I wouldn’t blame her… They BOTH are! What if it starts with a tour, and then they date, and then Hilda spends all her time with her! I don’t have a chance…_ Marianne felt a lump in her throat as she swallowed. Almost as if Hilda could hear her, she snapped out of observing the songstress and smiled warmly at Marianne, whose fear was written in every wrinkle of her scrunched-up face.

“She’s cute,” Hilda began as Marianne’s stomach dropped like an anvil. “You’re cuter.”

Hilda playfully bumped her nose into Marianne’s. Marianne couldn’t help but giggle at Hilda’s behavior, a little bit of anxiety releasing with each laugh. Taking pleasure in knowing her companion’s giggle was her own victory, Hilda released Marianne’s hand to wrap a piece of Marianne’s unkempt hair between her fingers.

Lysithea cleared her throat loudly.

“Excuse me! I am still here!”

“S-sorry,” Marianne mumbled with a shy chuckle. _At least I didn’t lose Hilda today. Even if this is all we ever are, Goddess, I am grateful._


	4. Snake Eyes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anxiety and fluff, two of the three main ingredients that create Marianne

The girls walked Lysithea back to the classroom, wishing her luck on her certification exam – not that she needed it, but Marianne and Hilda wanted to support her regardless. Passing Lysithea in the doorway was Edelgard, whose eyes followed Lysithea until she could no longer see her without turning around. Hilda’s attention had wandered elsewhere, but Marianne noticed as her little white haired friend yet again drew the attention of the Black Eagles leader.

Edelgard rounded the corner towards the training grounds. Marianne did not notice until he moved that Hubert had been positioned at the corner of the hallway; he spun on his heel to follow Edelgard, and the two disappeared from Marianne’s view. Curiosity, as well as a sizable amount of fear, gnawed at Marianne as she continued to stare at the now vacant corner of the officer’s academy.

“MARI!”

Startled, Marianne realized Hilda had been calling her name to no response. Her cheeks were pink and she had an expression of faux anger that threatened to make Marianne giggle rather than cower. _She’s even cute like this… sort of like an angry doll._

“S-sorry…” Marianne did her best to hide the butterflies, knowing Hilda’s endearment is unintentional. She brought her hands together in front of her chest, nervously applying pressure from her knuckles to her fingers. Hilda exhaled, her shoulders lowering and her head tilting ever so slightly to the side. She reached out a hand and covered Marianne’s, squeezing gently to halt Marianne’s anxious fidgeting. _She always notices,_ Marianne noted, another surge of affection threatening to burst from her chest as a result.

“Come on, I forgot my hair brush in my room.”

As Marianne followed Hilda to the dorms, she studied Hilda’s pigtails and wondered what Hilda could possibly see wrong with them that she’d need her hairbrush for. _Her hair already looks so much better than mine._ Shaking her head, Marianne refocused her attention towards the training grounds as they neared, the dorms not too far past the monolithic doors that stood between them and the soldiers training. Hilda was retelling some story, assuming Marianne had been listening. Marianne knew the likelihood that Hilda would call her on her inattention was fairly low. To some degree, Hilda simply enjoyed to talk, and Marianne enjoyed the soothing sound of her companion’s voice. The more Hilda talked, the less pressure there would be on Marianne to uphold the other half of the conversation.

Marianne’s eyes seemed to betray her as they scanned the entrance to the training grounds. She found the objects of her curiosity huddled close and whispering in hushed tones. Hubert’s snakelike gaze snapped upwards and effortlessly found her own, a silent challenge within them. She flinched from the shock, but out of fear of giving herself away more than she already had, did not allow herself to stray too far off from Hubert; she lowered her head a bit, noticing how her body felt frozen despite an overwhelming desire to run. Edelgard looked up from what appeared to be a document and Marianne read the words, “what is it?” from her lips. Afraid to see Hubert’s reaction, Marianne instead saw concern creep its way into Edelgard’s face, her gaze only torn away as she and Hilda’s path directed they walk in the opposite direction.

“Hilda?” Marianne’s quiet voice easily captures Hilda’s attention, her enthusiastic storytelling quickly drawing to a close. They reached the stairwell to the nobles’ dorms, and Hilda hesitated a step above Marianne, shifting to face her friend.

“Yes?”

“Do you t-trust Lady Edelgard?”

“That’s an odd question, Marianne.” Hilda paused a moment, considering her answer. “I suppose I don’t know her well enough to trust her. Not to mention, I grew up around Claude.”

“What about…” Marianne bit her lip, the name _Hubert_ catching her tongue for fear he’d materialize, as if she could accidentally summon him. Hilda frowned at her friend’s hesitation.

“What’s wrong, Marianne?”

The two reached Hilda’s room, which she had left with the door wide open, bed unmade and a bra still draped over a chair. If Marianne had not been so nervous, she would likely have been amused by the irony of someone who presents themselves so well having a room that’s a disaster. Her own room wasn’t much better, but she already knew the evidence of her dysfunction was plain on her sleepless face and in her unmanageable hair. Marianne stood awkwardly in the center of the room, unsure of where to stand, sit, or even where to look aside from her hands. Hilda gave her door a light shove, securing privacy for her friend, and waited for her to spill why she was trembling like a newborn rabbit.

All Marianne could force out was an incoherent stutter.

“Hey, it’s just me. What can’t you tell me?” Hilda asked sweetly. She didn’t usually employ her charms on Marianne – at least, not intentionally – but she could see Marianne needed coaxing. She clasped her hands together and stretched out over and behind her head, her eyes closing, and the movement pushing her chest subtly out towards Marianne. She cracked one eye slightly open to gauge Marianne’s reaction. She was lazy, not dumb; it wasn’t necessary for her to state it outright, but she knew she could fluster Marianne if she pushed her buttons just right, and perhaps that’s what was needed to alleviate some of the fear that held her hostage.

“I- um… I s-saw…” Marianne mumbled, shifting uncomfortably. She avoided looking directly at Hilda, but couldn’t resist a quick look as Hilda stretched. Much to Hilda’s delight, Marianne’s face grew hot and her stammer tapered off, distraction winning out.

“What did you see, hun?” Hilda repeated, crossing one leg over the other in front of her.

“Edelgard and H-Hubert… Well, no, um,” Marianne stumbled, nodding in self-assurance that it was okay to speak. “She was watching Lysithea, and, um…”

“Who was?”

“E-Edelgard…”

Marianne slowly lowered herself onto the floor below Hilda, hardly noticing that she was doing so. She felt more comfortable this way, as if contact with the floor was supporting her enough to continue.

“Edelgard was watching Lysithea?” Hilda’s curiosity piqued somewhat at the notion of her friend being the Adrestian princess’ focus. Marianne nodded solemnly in response. “What’s wrong with that, Mari?”

Marianne stood quiet a moment, searching her emotions for a reason why she felt so unsettled.

“It’s not just her,” she finally added, her voice low but carrying more confidence. “I get a bad feeling when Edelgard and Hubert look at Lysithea… Like they…” Pausing for a moment, it dawned on Marianne why she was so uncomfortable. “Oh.”

Hilda blinked. “Oh?”

“S-sorry, it’s just that I…” Chewing on her lip, Marianne searched for the best way to explain how she was afraid that the princess and her advisor would eventually look at _her_ with that intensity; an intensity strong enough to uncover what she’d been trying so desperately to hide. “They look like they’re _studying_ her,” she emphasized.

Hilda laughed. “Mari, she looks like she’s thirteen and she gets better scores than the rest of the academy, who wouldn’t be a little curious about her?”

“That’s true, but…” _Could that really be it?_

“If you’re that worried, we can just go ask them!” Hilda exclaimed as she bounced off the bed and onto her feet, looking down at Marianne with her hand outstretched.

“W-what?!” Panic set in all over again. _ASK them? After the way Hubert looked at me? No no. No no no. No._

Shrugging, Hilda dropped her hand to her side and made her exit, leaving a bewildered Marianne in her room. _You’re such a worrier,_ Hilda affectionately chastised Marianne in her head, picturing her companion’s fragile expression; the kind that makes Hilda want to put in the effort for her. Marianne was special in that regard. Hilda would not take the initiative for anyone else, but for Marianne, Hilda would go to great lengths to see those tired eyes relax a little.

“H-hey wait!”

Looking behind her, Hilda grinned as she saw Marianne take haste after her, looping her arm through Hilda’s as she caught up in stride. Hilda enjoyed this closeness; Marianne’s grip on her arm is how she knew that her efforts were not wasted. She wondered if Marianne clung to anyone else like this, before chuckling under her breath and shaking the thought away, knowing that Marianne’s trust in her is a direct result of the lengths she’s gone through to ensure Marianne always felt safe with her. _There’s no way anyone else can take care of my Marianne like this._

“Ready?” Asked Hilda.

Marianne nodded, and the two left the dorms arm-in-arm.


	5. The Library

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter came out shorter than I expected. I might revisit it later to flesh it out

Marianne’s heart was beating hard enough that she could feel the pounding in her ears. She was more than willing to bottle her worries up and allow them to slowly consume her if it meant she did not have to directly speak with Hubert and Edelgard. It was not that she feared Edelgard; the princess had not given Marianne a reason to believe she meant her any harm. What she feared was instead that her suspicions would be correct. If Hilda is wrong and it is not a matter of Lysithea’s gifted status, if someone on monastery grounds is genuinely researching the students, the risk is there that they would eventually turn their eyes towards Marianne, and that thought horrified her. She squeezed her eyes shut and willed herself to calm down lest someone see her thoughts through her panicked expression.

On the other hand, Hilda’s thoughts centered around persuading Lysithea into doing her coursework once they’d all retired to the dorms for the night. It crossed her mind that she could ask Marianne to help her. The thought was fleeting, however, for one look at Marianne’s pained expression told Hilda that in all actuality, she would end up doing Marianne’s work instead while Marianne wallowed in self-pity beside her. As fond as she is of Marianne, the idea of doing _both_ of their assignments sounded exceedingly un-Hilda-like. _I’m not even sure I COULD do Marianne’s…_ She frowned, just for a moment, as she thought of how much work it would take to understand the tomes her friends studied. _At least I can handle myself with an axe,_ she asserted.

The girls reached the outside of the training grounds and Marianne noted that Hubert and Edelgard had left. An involuntary exhale brought to her attention that she had not taken a breath since stepping outside. _S_ he grimaced, imagining herself collapsing from asphyxiation while Hilda still had a hold on her arm. Visions of Hilda laying beside her frantically calling for help flashed behind her eyes. The notion that Hilda cared enough to be bothered by her death brought a warmth forward in her chest; upon recognizing the source of this warmth, she hastily rejected it, disgusted with herself for the selfish reaction to her friend’s sadness. _Sounds about right. The Goddess would finally grant my prayer only to spite me with a reminder that I’m a curse both alive AND dead._

Hilda continued walking, and Marianne realized that Hilda wasn’t aware of where she had seen the princess and her retainer.

“Um… Hilda?”

Hilda faced Marianne, who had chosen the same moment to glance back at Hilda. Caught off guard by the focus in Hilda’s uniquely pink eyes, Marianne blinked twice in rapid succession before remembering she intended to speak. “They aren’t here… I’m sorry I d-dragged you out here for n-no-”

“Shhh,” Hilda pressed a finger over Marianne’s lips, successfully hushing her as Marianne’s eyes crossed down her nose at the manicured finger touching her. Hilda had intended on reminding Marianne that her apology wasn’t necessary, until another idea hit her. “It doesn’t _have_ to be a waste!”

Marianne’s eyes gently narrowed as she attempted to predict her friend’s next suggestion.

“A little bird told me there’s a new shop opening today!” Eyes bright and balancing on her toes, Hilda’s excitement was pouring out of her. To Marianne, it was overwhelming just to be near someone who radiated so much energy, let alone to go shopping with her.

“O-oh, I-I…” Marianne stuttered weakly and her face fell, preparing to decline by refusing to acknowledge Hilda’s enthusiasm. “I’ll just slow you down… I d-don’t know where any of the shops are, and I, um… I’m not very good at helping pick outfits, or c-carrying things, or-“

Hilda swallowed her desire to sweet talk Marianne into joining her. She knew that Marianne likely needed to decompress after class this morning, and Hilda had not afforded her the opportunity to do so. Hilda still found it difficult to sacrifice what she wanted, although the relief in Marianne’s face did bring at least a small smile to her own. Sighing a little too loudly to be genuine, Hilda acquiesced to Marianne’s protests and the two parted. Marianne was unsure how it happened but an agreement was made that Hilda was welcome to come to Marianne’s room once she returned from the market. If it were someone else, Marianne would likely find somewhere to hide rather than return to her room in the first place, but she had to admit to herself that she did enjoy having Hilda there to fill the silence. At least every now and then.

Marianne had intended to return to her room, but found that her feet carried her to the library instead. The stillness is comforting, and reading about the saints serves as a reminder that there is purity in the world, even if it isn’t her own. In truth, she isn’t entirely sure if it is helpful or harmful to dwell on the teachings of Seiros. _All the other crests are gifts, why would I be forced to live with a curse?_

She can ask Seiros until her knees ache, yet the answer never comes.

“Pardon me.”

Marianne awkwardly shuffled out of the way, not having noticed that she was blocking a section of books where she had chosen to sit. “Oh, Edelgard…” Seeing the princess standing above her, Marianne became acutely aware of her own breathing. The hyper-awareness that caused her to unconsciously stop breathing would build in pressure until she reminded herself to exhale. She hoped her efforts wouldn’t be noticeable to observers. _Not only am I useless, but I can’t even breathe normally. What kind of person doesn’t know how to breathe..?_

“Hello Marianne,” Edelgard replied as she scanned the bookshelf. After a moment of silence between the two, Edelgard bit her lip and resigned to requesting assistance.

“I am searching for a text on the origin of crests. Would you happen to know where it is?”

What little color remained in Marianne’s face evaporated, accentuating her paleness to the point that had Edelgard been looking at her, she would likely have mistaken her for a ghost.

“W-what?! Why-!” Seeing that her outburst had drawn the princess’ stare down towards her, Marianne felt her heart sink deep enough it threatened to invert within her ribcage. As if on cue, the reel of torment began to play, inaudibly alternating between “s _top looking at me!!” “What did I say??”_ And the problem of the foreseeable future, “ _What do I say now?!”_

Edelgard raised her eyebrow, her calm demeanor remaining unchanged.

“I was led to believe you had some familiarity with the less… ‘well known’ examples of crests,” Edelgard hesitated as she watched Marianne’s mixture of fear and confusion wrestle with the range of expressions physically possible in one human.

“I d-don’t have a crest,” Marianne stated. If her desire for Edelgard to believe her became any stronger, it would be as tangible as the ache where she had absentmindedly chewed her nail a little too short. “S-so I c-can’t help… I’m sorry.” _Please don’t ask anything else, please..!_

Marianne rose to her feet, scrambling to reorganize the books around her but succeeding only in making them look like a poorly matched puzzle. Edelgard remained quiet as Marianne stuffed the last of the books she had moved back into place, speaking only once Marianne had turned to leave.

“When you reflect upon this exchange later, know that I believe we have the same goal.”

“I can’t h-help you,” Marianne replied before hastily escaping the confines of the library.

Her face fell towards the safety of the ground, and she borrowed from its solidity to support herself as she walked back towards her room. _The same goal? Only the goddess knows what I’ve asked for, and if she hasn’t seen fit to fulfill that wish what makes Edelgard think she can?_


	6. A Little Bit of Sass, a Little Bit of Study

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lysithea would be the type of teenager that made her parents throw their hands up in exasperation because she was just that sassy

_Knock, knock._

Marianne rolled over to face the wall rather than her door. _Go away_. Her thought came forcefully, but she remained gentle as she scratched the ears of the cat that had followed her back to her room.

_Knock knock knock._

“Someone can’t take a hint, can they?” She whispered to the cat. Marianne had fed the cats on more than one occasion, and this particularly affectionate orange tabby had taken to following her around since. She didn’t mind; she loved all the strays that lived on Garreg Mach’s grounds, but the cats were her favorite after her horse, Dorte. For the most part, the cats are calm and quiet. The soft warmth they radiate could, on the worst nights, distract her from the feeling of loneliness that threatens to consume her.

“Marianne!” Hilda whined from outside the door. “I know you’re here, I can see your lights on.”

_Damn. Should’ve turned those off._

“Lysithea won’t leave me alone unless we study,” Hilda added with another knock. Marianne heard a huff from outside and assumed that was an offended Lysithea. With a sigh, Marianne rose from her bed and opened the door. Her feline companion took the opportunity to let himself out.

“Thanks, doll.” Hilda winked as she entered Marianne’s room. Lysithea followed, her bag slumping from her shoulder. She shrugged it the rest of the way off before placing it on the ground. Marianne watched as Hilda lay back on her bed, her arms behind her head and her legs at an angle so her feet rested on the bed as well. _Always so quick to make herself at home._

“Hilda, here’s your book.” Lysithea tossed a book at Hilda, who barely sat up in time to catch it. “Marianne, you and I have the same one.”

Lysithea set two identical books on the floor between them. _Principles of Casting While on Horseback,_ Marianne read on the cover. A flutter went through her heart, realizing Byleth was allowing the two of them to continue their work with the horses. She glanced at Hilda. Her disinterested friend had laid back down, only now she had her book open over her eyes like a mask. A subtle smile creeped onto Marianne’s face. Even Hilda’s worst habits came off endearing in Marianne’s eyes. Lysithea was far less amused.

“At least _try_ to read something, Hilda.”

Hilda groaned in protest. “I’m sleeping.”

“For Goddess’ sake, I do not have time for this!” Lysithea’s youthful face had scrunched up into a scowl as she directed the full force of her disapproval towards Hilda. If Hilda noticed, she did not care to acknowledge it. “Looks like it’s just you and me, Marianne.”

_Oh, no. Do I have to talk or is she going to be satisfied if I sit quietly and read beside her?_

“Which chapter are you on?” She asked, peering over to where Marianne was idly thumbing through the pages. “I’m on chapter fourteen, and I have a few questions I was hoping you could help me with.”

Marianne blinked, her expression unchanging as the statement that Marianne is better than Lysithea at something fails to translate into Marianne’s head. _What?_

“Um…” _Don’t say something stupid, Marianne._ “Wh…What?” _Oh, great. That came out just as unintelligently as I expected._

“This question here,” Lysithea seemed to ignore Marianne’s mumbling as she reoriented her book towards Marianne, pointing at an individual question. “It’s asking which kinds of magic horses are naturally unafraid of. You’re more familiar with them than I am.”

Lysithea’s rosy eyes looked expectantly at Marianne.

“I don’t want to give you the wrong answer…” Averting her eyes, Marianne hoped that would be the last of Lysithea’s attempts to use her for information. _If she doesn’t know the answer, I certainly won’t._

“So give me the right answer.” Her retort packed a surprising amount of sass for such a small girl. Marianne felt a blush rise in her cheeks.

“I d-don’t-“

“Don’t you dare tell me you don’t know, you spend _all_ your free time with the horses!”

Marianne fell silent. _If I don’t answer her, she will think I’m being unhelpful on purpose. If I give her the wrong answer, I’ll be responsible for bringing her down with me. Everything I do is wrong, why even try?_

“Hey, ease up a bit,” Hilda interjected, her boisterous attitude traded for one of concern instead. She had lifted one corner of the book on her face, and Marianne looked up to see one pink eye meeting her own. “Maybe I can answer the question?”

“Be serious,” Lysithea scoffed.

“Okay, rude.” Hilda sat up fully, glaring back at Lysithea.

Marianne’s eyes widened at the tension growing between her friends. _Oh no. This wouldn’t have happened had I not been here._ She abruptly rose to her feet, drawing the attention of both girls.

“Mari-“ Hilda began, before being cut off.

“I didn’t mean to cause a fight,” Marianne reasoned, guilt in her voice. “I’ll leave y-you two alone…”

Lysithea’s bewildered expression preceded her statement of the obvious.

“Marianne, this is your room.”

“That’s okay, I’ll, um…” Her eyes darted towards the door. “I c-ca-“

Hilda took hold of Marianne’s wrist and pulled her close, directing her to sit back down, this time beside Hilda. “You’re not going anywhere.”

Marianne felt a lump in her throat and swallowed, but the anxiety persisted. _I’m just trying not to be in the way. Why is it that no matter how hard I try to not be a nuisance, I’m still a nuisance?_

Lysithea closed her eyes and breathed out a sigh of exasperation towards the ceiling. “I’m sorry.”

“Oh?” Hilda raised an eyebrow.

“Don’t make me say it again.” Lysithea replied with narrowed eyes. One giggle from Hilda later and both girls had forgiven each other, yet Marianne continued to sit silently, staring at her hands. _I won’t be a bother if I do nothing,_ she reassures herself.

The girls read quietly for awhile, following an unspoken agreement not to point out that Marianne was not participating. Lysithea’s focus on her reading was unwavering. Marianne envied her work ethic, believing such behavior to be beyond her own capabilities. Hilda was reading a bit, but did periodically steal a glance at her favorite blue-haired friend, driven by the concern hiding behind her carefree façade.

Her own book was on the life cycle and care of wyverns. She’d never wanted a pet, not even as a little girl. They required _so much work_ , and to have a living creature relying on her like that was frightening. She fully intended on weaseling her way out of the wyvern classes; she only needed the professors to recognize that she would be better suited doing something less… impactful. That is, until the day Marianne first saw Hilda caring for a wyvern. She wasn’t doing much, just bathing the juveniles. She had already pawned off cleaning out the enclosures and feeding the adult wyverns – no way was she going to handle dragon waste or raw meat – but gently washing the scales of the young with a warm cloth was not too objectionable. Hilda hadn’t even considered it worth mentioning, if she were being perfectly honest. Marianne had walked in to see Hilda lovingly scratching a wyvern about the size of a small dog underneath its chin, her other hand drying off its back and tail. Her eyes as wide as the moon, Marianne could hardly speak - her mouth left in an “oh.” When Hilda invited her to approach, Marianne’s entire demeanor changed. If she were to imagine Marianne as a young child, at whichever age she was before she had grown to hate herself, she would picture her as she was that day. Talking a mile a minute, her eyes bright, head up, a smile on her face. Hilda smiled to herself even now as she sat on the bed in Marianne’s room, remembering the light she saw in Marianne when they were alone with the wyverns that day. _If she wasn’t so clumsy, she would be at home in the skies with me. I’ll take her someday._ Hilda lost focus on her book, daydreaming instead about Marianne wrapped around her, a rare but beautiful laugh on her face as she rested her head on Hilda’s shoulder.

Hilda returned to the present situation to see that Marianne was watching her. _Yes, you._ Hilda confidently thought. _I want you. I’ll tell you someday._ She winked at Marianne again, chuckling as Marianne blushed a deep red and looked away. _So cute,_ she sighed, before returning her attention to her task at hand.


	7. Fodlan's Fangs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I saw the name of this location on a map of Fodlan and knew I wanted to incorporate it somehow. I'm taking some liberties with the country's biomes.

“Wait, what do you mean a field trip?” Hilda asked, lazily stirring her tea as she rested against the side of Marianne’s bed. Lysithea occupied the desk chair, utilizing Marianne’s workspace for her studying. Between conversing with Hilda, she was reading and taking down notes, always mindful of how she was spending her time, regardless of whether she was with friends.

Lysithea rolled her eyes. “Professor Byleth is taking us to see Fodlan’s Fangs in a few days. You would know that if you’d come to class this morning.”

Despite it being only the second day in their new class, Hilda had already elected to sleep in. She had almost made it the entire day without it even coming up, but naturally, Lysithea couldn’t withhold from scolding her as they relaxed together after dinner. However, Hilda’s poor attendance was not a concern of hers, so she shrugged off the snide remark and continued.

“What’s in Fodlan’s Fangs? We’ve never gone there before. Actually,” Hilda paused, touching the tip of her finger to her lower lip. “Where is Fodlan’s Fangs?”

“It’s, um… Sorry.” Marianne interrupted, hesitantly searching her friends’ faces for an indication as to whether she should finish her thought. Hilda gave her a nod, her bright eyes as encouraging as always. With a bit more confidence, Marianne answered “It’s in the southwest corner of the Empire.”

“That’s kind of far, isn’t it?” Hilda asked.

“Yes. Almost to Brigid.”

Hilda fell silent, weighing the pros and cons of taking such a long trek. On one hand, professor Byleth couldn’t enforce as much schoolwork if they’re spending their days traveling. _Is it worth how much harder it is to wash up on the road though?_ She shuddered at the thought of being away from her bed, bath and vanity for so long. _But If I stay, I’ll be by myself…_ She sighed, further dismayed at the thought of Marianne and Lysithea being away for Goddess knows how long.

“Are you both going?”

“Is… Is not going an option?” Marianne’s inquiry came rather shyly, as if afraid she would be reprimanded for considering it. Lysithea set her pen down and spun in the chair to face Marianne.

“Professor Byleth can’t _force_ you to go,” Lysithea replied flatly. “I was sure you’d want to, though.”

“Um… why…?”

A hint of surprise colored Lysithea’s face as she addressed Marianne. “I thought you knew. Fodlan’s Fangs is a mountainous, isolated area. There are rumors of… well, not wyverns, but… something similar. Older.”

Marianne perked up, now fully invested in this excursion.

“Older than wyverns?” Surprised at her own volume, a blush rose in her cheeks and she reflexively covered her mouth. Hilda giggled at the sight.

“I guess you’ll be going then, Mari?”

“W-well um…” Dropping her eyes to her feet, Marianne knew her answer was yes, yet the commitment of audibly saying so frightened her.

_What if I say I’m going, but then they don’t go, and I already said yes? Then I’m going by myself… Alone, outside in a new place, no Hilda…_ Marianne didn’t notice until the tension had already built within her chest, but she felt the difficulty breathing and realized her panic had begun to set in. Embarrassed, she felt her eyes begin to sting as well. _Is it selfish of me to want them to go? What if they only go because I say I’m going, and then something happens to them? What if Hilda ends up hurt? What if-_

“Hey,” Hilda snapped her fingers. “Come back to me, Mari.”

Marianne swallowed the growing panic and met Hilda’s eyes. She had a way of smiling with her eyes that grounded Marianne, as if she were afloat in space, and her only tether was the acceptance she found in those soft, pink eyes. Unbeknownst to Marianne, Hilda saved that look exclusively for her. Others can accuse her of being manipulative, lazy or insincere and it is of little bother to her, but she couldn’t live with herself if she saw that reflection of herself in Marianne’s eyes.

“Let’s just say we are all going. No one gets left behind,” Lysithea directed at Hilda before facing Marianne, “and no one is left alone. Okay?”

Marianne nodded quietly, and Hilda set down her tea.

“Okay!” She proclaimed, her pigtails swinging as she sat up. “Let’s start packing!”

“W-wait,” Marianne said softly, one hand raising as if to stop Hilda from leaving. Noticing the movement, Hilda looked back at her expectantly. Marianne then spun back towards Lysithea. “You didn’t say… Why Fodlan’s Fangs?”

“Well,” Lysithea began, exhaling as if preparing to tell a tale.

“The cliff notes, please.” Laughed Hilda. Lysithea blushed, called on her tendency to become overly studious, and quickly derived the most concise explanation.

“You two can’t repeat this, okay?” The girls nodded in response. “Professor Byleth and Edelgard have suspicions that part of the church’s story is untrue. They… They think the Archbishop is lying to us.”

Lysithea doesn’t notice, but Marianne immediately stiffens.

“B-but-!” Marianne’s eyes widened, the implications of the trip now weighing on her heavily. _Oh Goddess…!_

“I know,” Lysithea breathed. “Anyway, she didn’t tell me what she’s looking for in Fodlan’s Fangs-“

“Who?” Hilda interrupted.

“Edelgard-”

“When did you t-talk to E-Edelgard?” Marianne’s voice was shaky, and Hilda shot her a look of concern. Marianne met her gaze for a brief moment, and in that moment Hilda recalled all that Marianne had observed the day before. _The princess keeping an eye on Lysithea was one thing to consider, but now there is also this inquiry into the legitimacy of the church?_ _What is Edelgard trying to accomplish? Wait, why is Byleth involved in this?_

Hilda wasn’t particularly pious, but she knew her somber friend had a connection to the Goddess, and the talk of potential blasphemy was bound to upset her. Even if they had no investment in the church, they still fell under the protection and rule of Archbishop Rhea, and if she knew they were sniffing for lies amongst the church’s teachings they would _not_ be coming back to a warm welcome. Hilda felt a tinge of fear at the memory of the Archbishop’s wrath; she saw it once before when Rhea had ordered the execution of blasphemers, and the sight never fully left her.

“We don’t have to talk about this,” Hilda spoke softly to Marianne, offering her the opportunity to disengage from an uncomfortable conversation. Lysithea looked a bit confused, but remained quiet.

Marianne couldn’t find the words to explain how she both wanted Lysithea’s answers and feared them. She stared at her hands, rubbing one thumb over the other, her mind alternating between anxiety towards the overall situation and anxiety over her own paralyzing anxiety – as much as she tried to organize a thought, it failed to come together. She considered her usual prayer, but she could not shake the irrational paranoia that her prayer would be expressed so loudly within her mind that her companions would somehow hear it, and the last thing she wanted was for Hilda to know how deeply broken she is. The self-loathing at her own lack of speech or movement bubbled, followed by the evidence as she felt the overwhelming heat in her cheeks. _Goddess, please forgive me…_

Marianne hesitantly looked in her friends’ faces for a clue as to what they were thinking, and regretted it immediately. _Both of them are looking at me..! Expectation in Lysithea’s face, pity in Hilda’s, they’re both looking at me, how do I make them stop..!_ Marianne gave Hilda a look of pleading. _I need this conversation to end. I don’t know what to do or say and I need this to end. Please, please just know what I need._

Marianne felt a wave of relief wash over her as Hilda then stood and addressed Lysithea. Marianne couldn’t hear the words, deafened by her own anxiety, but she saw the door shut behind Lysithea and then she was alone. Or, she thought she was.

“Come on,” Hilda gently whispered as she helped Marianne up off the floor and sat her down on her bed. Marianne then fully laid down, turned her back towards Hilda and began toying with the seam on her pillow. Hilda could see the beginnings of calmness return to Marianne, but her companion’s silence told her that she was still in need of security. Hilda flipped off the lights and squeezed in next to Marianne, who had scooted over in the hopes that Hilda didn’t plan on leaving her. Hilda traced light patterns on Marianne’s back, and listened as Marianne’s breathing slowed. Once she was sure Marianne had drifted off, she allowed herself to fall asleep as well.


	8. Sky Dance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I was having daydreams about dragons, so this happened. I guess this MariHilda fic is going in an adventurous direction?

Marianne waited below an oak tree and watched as the other students each brought out a bag and set it on the supply cart in preparation for their trip. They were each allotted one bag, and most of the students complied; however, when professor Byleth’s attention was elsewhere, Marianne noticed both Dorothea and Hilda sneak another bag onto the cart. _Most likely make-up,_ guessed Marianne. The two girls made eye contact, and Dorothea gave Hilda a wink. Marianne felt just the tiniest hint of irritation at the sight.

Shifting her eyes to the other students, she located Lysithea, who appeared to barely outweigh her own bag as she strained to lift it onto the cart. _Hers is probably packed full of heavy tomes._ Edelgard arrived with two bags herself, and after easily placing hers, she assisted Lysithea. Curiosity insisted Marianne continue to observe the two, noting how they appear to have become friends; Lysithea looked at Edelgard fondly, smiling and chatting, while Edelgard’s posture implied a sort of protectiveness towards Lysithea. She showed a willingness to help in the way an older sibling would look after a younger sibling. At this, Marianne found a bit of comfort. _Perhaps she doesn’t mean her harm after all._

“Hi, Mari!” Beamed Hilda.

“Oh, hello.” Marianne gave Hilda her best smile. _Ugh, I can feel how uncomfortable my smile looks. I’m sorry you have to look at this, Hilda._ Insecurity winning out, she looked down at her hands as Hilda approached and hoped that Hilda had been too far away to clearly see her face.

Feeling arms wrapping around her, she raised her own as if to catch Hilda, hesitating as her hands hovered just over Hilda’s skin. She was close enough to feel the heat her companion radiated, and she couldn’t help but feel her own face grow warm. _She smells so good._ A sigh of contentment escaped Marianne’s lips too quickly for her to stop it.

“Time to get going, everyone,” Byleth called out. A few of the stable attendants had emerged with horses in tow. “Those of you with studies including riding, come pick out your horses.”

“O-oh!” Marianne’s mouth formed an “O” as her gaze went from horse to horse; she was looking for Dorte in the hopes that she could add one more friend to this trip.

“Ready to go?” Hilda asked, offering her hand to Marianne. Nodding emphatically, Marianne allowed Hilda to help her to her feet, her attention on the horses unbroken. Before Hilda could let go, Marianne tightened her grip on Hilda’s wrist and pulled her along as she made a beeline for the horses.

Hilda only laughed, amused by the sudden enthusiasm her usually inhibited friend was expressing.

“Mari, hun, I don’t think I get a horse.” Hilda’s voice remained playful, but she directed the comment to calm Marianne before her thoughts could race too far ahead of them. She felt Marianne’s pace slow down.

“But…”

Hilda felt a pull on her heartstrings at the sight of Marianne’s crestfallen expression. She smiled reassuringly. “Go find Dorte, I’ll be right back, okay?”

Marianne’s grip loosened and she shuffled the rest of the way over to the horses, finding Lysithea as she had just taken the reigns of a gorgeous black mare. _Truth be told, that horse looks a bit too tall for Lys._ She didn’t need to imagine for long, as Lysithea’s attempts to climb up onto the horse soon became a reality.

“Do… do you need h-help?” _Please say no._

“I’m- I’m fine!” Lysithea huffed as she used pure determination to scale her horse.

Trying to mask her relief, Marianne nodded – which Lysithea did not actually see as she was still situating herself – and moved past to find her horse.

“This one is yours, yes?”

Edelgard’s voice carries an unmistakable and effortless air of authority as she addresses Marianne, Dorte in tow. Conflicted between the urge to run away from Edelgard and the desire to leap onto Dorte, Marianne intertwines her fingers behind her back and fidgets nervously. _Is this a trap? How does she know about Dorte?_

“Lysithea told me,” Edelgard explained. She held out the reins expectantly.

 _Oh, of course._ Marianne relaxed enough to take the reins from Edelgard. “Thank you…” She whispered.

Edelgard returned her thanks with a small smile and a polite nod.

Once Marianne had mounted and taken a moment to lean forward and greet Dorte, she scanned the area for Hilda. _Where has she gone? I don’t see her anywhere…_

Out of the corner of her eye she notices Lysithea come to a stop beside her. What began a bit rocky now looked like an effortless experience for Lysithea. She controlled her horse with ease, using subtle, gentle movements to direct her mare. _See… I was right, she doesn’t need my help with the horses._

Still unable to locate Hilda, Marianne reluctantly follows as the group begins their trip. There are a few caravans, two with the students’ belongings and another two with the unmounted students riding in them. Towards the front, Marianne notices, much to her surprise, that Edelgard is not seated with Byleth. _They seemed so close, I was sure Edelgard would be with her. Actually…_ Looking around for what felt like the 20th time, she realizes that not only is Hilda nowhere in sight, but Edelgard isn’t either. Her hand trembles slightly as she stifles the desire to ride up to Byleth and ask for her friend’s whereabouts. _Don’t be a bother Marianne. Hilda doesn’t need you, anyway, she’s probably just fine. Don’t be a bother._

A loud thud draws the attention of the group over to where a redheaded boy – Sylvain upon closer inspection - had fallen off his horse. His face was contorted in anger and he pointed a sword accusingly at Ferdinand, who was holding a lance in his right hand and leaning back in his saddle.

“Hey you cheated!”

“I did no such thing! A real noble would never choose a sword over a lance!”

“Oh, and _you’re_ a real noble, is that it?” Mocked Sylvain.

“I am-“

“Ferdinand von Aegir, _I know!_ ”

Lysithea’s voice caught Marianne’s attention, and she realized Lysithea had fallen back to ride beside her.

“They’re behaving like children.” With narrowed eyes and pursed lips, Lysithea’s disapproval was evident. Marianne thought to respond, but her mind drew a blank, still preoccupied with Hilda’s absence.

“Boys!” Byleth shouted from her seat on the furthest caravan. “Fall in line before I make both of you walk!”

 _This is going to be a long trip._ Marianne stifled a yawn, having woken up earlier than usual that morning, and glanced up at the sky. They had been riding for almost an hour at this point, and the sun was nearing its midday position.

In an effort to entertain herself she releases one hand from the reins and faces it palm up, whispering a frost spell under her breath. Trusting Dorte to keep pace with the group, she focused instead on creating as perfect a snowflake as possible, racing to form it before it melts under the sun. Three failed attempts in, Marianne has created a snowflake of such a beautifully intricate pattern she feels almost proud. _I wish I could show this to Hilda._ Frowning, she begins to lose her control of the spell as the distraction over Hilda returns.

The last of her concentration breaks with a roar, demanding her attention fly upwards towards the source; Marianne’s jaw drops as the massive figure of a wyvern emerges. The wyvern’s impressive speed has it overtaking their group within a few minutes, closely followed by a second wyvern, even larger than the first. Excitement and fear wrestle within Marianne, and she glances towards Byleth for a cue as to whether they are under attack. The professor’s posture remains relaxed, and while Marianne cannot fully eradicate the nervousness in her stomach, she is reassured enough to remain in her saddle. Looking upwards again, her mind begins to wander. _Could that be…_

“Lysithea, do you see them?!” Marianne asks as she calms a startled Dorte, and notices Lysithea doing the same.

“Yeah,” Lysithea grits between her teeth, attempting to reclaim control of her mare.

A surge of confidence carries Marianne forward, and she rides it past the rear caravans to where Byleth is seated.

“Professor?”

Kind, dark blue eyes meet Marianne’s brown ones as the professor smiles at her in encouragement. “Hello, Marianne. I’m happy to see you’ve come to chat.”

An involuntary blush rises in Marianne’s cheeks, but she is too enthused to retreat.

“I, um, I was wondering i-if…”

Marianne pauses, so accustomed to hearing her audience’s impatience or irritation by this point that she habitually waits for the professor to do the same. To her surprise, Byleth does not interrupt her, and she notices an unfamiliar feeling of calmness blanketing her in Byleth’s presence. _No wonder the others like her so much._

“Is Hilda up there?” She finally asks.

“Yes,” confirms Byleth. “El too.”

_El? Does she mean Edelgard?_

“Apologies, I meant Edelgard as well.” Byleth quickly corrected.

 _Oh, oops. What face did I just make? I must’ve looked noticeably confused. Hopefully she doesn’t take that the wrong way._ A more rational side of Marianne retorts that Byleth apologized, so she _can’t_ think less of Marianne for making what was likely a rather stupid face, right?

Her internal argument is silenced by the sight of the wyverns flying; they maneuver around each other as if involved in a dance, tucking wings and swinging tails to manipulate the air around them. Marianne is mesmerized. Dorte slows and the caravans overtake Marianne again, but she does not notice or care. Before long she is beside Lysithea again, who trots the remaining distance to not need to shout at Marianne for her attention.

“What did professor Byleth say?”

“That’s Hilda up there,” she says with an exhale, eyes fixated on the sky.

“That’s… actually rather impressive.” Laughs Lysithea, drawing Marianne’s attention towards her. “For someone who doesn’t study she shows quite the aptitude for flying.”

 _I… am not surprised, actually._ Marianne thinks to herself. _She’s Hilda. She can do anything._ Marianne feels a warmth in her heart she can only attribute to Hilda, reminding her that even at a distance, Hilda is still able to light up her life.

As the remainder of that day’s ride passes, Marianne’s distracted by feelings of awe, longing, and an overwhelming attachment to the pink blur blowing in the wind overhead. If she could sprout her own wings right there and join her, she absolutely would. _I wonder if I can make wings out of ice and still fly_.

It isn’t until sunset that she sees the wyverns abruptly dive out of the sky a mile or so ahead of them, her breath catching in her throat as the image of them crashing into the earth flashes through her mind. One of them releases an echoing roar, and she can feel Dorte’s momentary discomfort as the dragons reconnect with the land. Knowing she can’t stand another moment without having Hilda beside her again, _especially_ after the magnificent sight of her dancing through the sky like a gift from the goddess, Marianne whispers her request for Dorte to close the distance.

She hears her name behind her as Dorte breaks into a gallop but it is no longer important. Whoever it is… _They can wait._


End file.
